APOPLEXY.

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sion of the brain, occasioned by an excess of blood, or a collec-tion of watery humours. The former is called a sanguine, and thelatter a serous apoplexy. It may be occasioned by any thing thatincreases the circulation towards the brain, or prevents the returnof the blood fr iva the head : as intense study ; violent passions ;*viewing objects for a long time obliquely ; wearing any thing tootight about the neck ; a rich and luxurious diet ; suppression ofurine ; suffering the body to cool suddenly after having been great-ly heated ; continuing long in a warm or cold bath ; the excessiveuse of spiceries, or high-seasoned food ; excess of venery ; thesudden striking in of any eruption ; suffering issues, setons, &c. sud-denly to dry up, or the stoppage of any customary evacuation ; amercurial salivation pushed too far, or suddenly checked by cold ;wounds or bruises on the head ; long- exposure to excessive cold ;poisonous exhalations, &.c.

Symptoms, and method of cure. — The usual forerunners of anapoplexy are giddiness, pain and swimming of the head ; loss ofmemory ; drowsiness ; noise in the ears ; the nightmare ; a spon-taneous flux of tears, and laborious respiration. When personsof an apoplectic make observe these symptoms, they have reasonto fear the approach of a fit, and should endeavour to prevent itby bleeding, a slender diet, and opening medicines.

In the sanguine apoplexy, if the patient does not die suddenly,the countenance appears ñorid, the face is swelled or puffed up,and the blood vessels, especially about the neck and temples, areturgid ; the pulse beats strong ; the eyes are prominent and fixed,and the breathing is difficult, and performed with a snorting noise.The excrements and urine are often voided spontaneously, andthe patient is sometimes seized with vomiting.

In this species of apoplexy every method must be taken to les-sen the force of the circulation towards the head. The patientshould be kept perfectly easy and cool. His head should be rais-ed pretty high, and his feet suffered to hang down. His clothes-ought to be loosened, especially about the neck, and fresh air ad-mitted into his chamber. His garters should be tied pretty tight,by which means the motion of the blood from the lower extremi-ties will be retarded. As soon as the patient is placed in a properposture, he should be bled freely in the neck or arm, and, if therebe occasion, the operation may be repeated in two or three hours.A laxative clyster,f with plenty of sweet oil or fresh butter, and aspoonful or two of common salt in it, may be administered everytwo hours ; and blistering plasters applied between the shoulders,and to the calves of the legs.

As soon as the symptoms are a little abated, and the patient is

* I knew a woman who, in a violent fit of anger, was seized with a sanguine apoplexy.She at first complained of extreme pain, as if daggers had been thrust through her head,as she expressed it. Afterwards she became comatose, her pulse sunk very low, andwas exceeding slow. By bleeding, blistering, and other evacuations, she was keptalive for about a fortnight. When her head was opened, a large quantity of extrava-sated blood waB found in the left ventricle of the brain.

t Take Compound Extract of Colocynth,^ to 1 drachm.Infusion of Senna 11 ounces.

N3

Castor Oil, 1 ounce.

Mix for a clyster, to be injected imrnetS.ately.